• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.409-413
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• 2005

A method to estimate the autotrophic maximum specific growth rate is presented in this paper. First of all, the concentration of nitrifier is simulated based on the amount of N nitrified, the sludge age and the default value for the decay coefficient. Secondly the OUR of the sludge with access of ammonia is measured. The maximum specific growth rate can be calculated as ${\mu}_{max,A}\;=\;OUR_{max,A}/Y_A$. It was demonstrated that the maximum specific growth rate of autotrophic biomass is not a constants but a time variable parameter. It is concluded that using $OUR_{max,A}$ for dynamic estimating maximum specific growth rate is a good approach and that using a constant value for the maximum specific growth rate over a longer period of time could not predict the performance of activated sludge plants.